Mon 2026-08-31 · first shift 4:30–~11:30 · 346 Kelly Rd, Vernon
You are the last checkpoint between the kitchen and the guest. Read the ticket, check the plate against it, finish it (sauce, garnish, sides), group the table, send it, keep the window clean.
1. Plate accuracy — you catch the wrong plate, not the guest
2. Grouping — a table goes out together; hold the fast, call the slow early
3. The window — wiped rims, hot food out NOW, no pileup
4. Loud short calls — copy their exact call words, don't invent your own
| Call | Means |
|---|---|
| "Heard" | The only correct response to anything. Say it constantly |
| "Behind" / "Corner" | You're walking behind someone / around a blind corner. Every time |
| "Hands!" | Food in the window needs a runner NOW |
| "All day" | Total count of one item across all tickets ("3 pulled pork all day") |
| "Fire" | Start cooking it now |
| "On the fly" | Emergency remake, jumps the line |
| "86" | Out of it. Expo tells the servers |
| "Dying" | Food sitting too long. Your job: never said |
| "Dragging" | One plate isn't ready; the table waits on it |
| "Re-fire" | Plate came back wrong; cook it again |
| Ticket says | On the plate |
|---|---|
| Big Sampler | 1/4 rack + 1/2 chicken + 2 beef ribs |
| Beef & Pork | 1/2 rack + 3 beef ribs |
| Beef & Chicken | 3 beef ribs + 1/2 chicken |
| Chicken & Pork | 1/2 chicken + 1/4 rack |
| Pork Lovers | pulled pork + 1/4 rack + 2 spare ribs |
| Beef Lovers | 2 beef ribs + shredded brisket + burnt ends |
Rib cuts on sight: baby back = small curved pork rack · spare ribs = bigger, flatter pork · beef ribs = huge, obvious.
| Prime rib | au jus ("O-zoo") + horseradish crema |
| Pork chops | applesauce |
| Catfish | jalapeño tartar |
| Shrimp | cocktail sauce + lemon |
| Chicken fingers | georgia mustard |
| Wings | blue cheese + veggies |
| BBQ sauce choice | KC sweet vs Texas hot — ticket says which |
| Tumbleweeds | fried onion strings — top the Cajun Chicken Sandwich + BBQ Burger |
| Au jus | "O-zoo." Thin beef dipping juice in a cup, next to prime rib. Missing cup = incomplete plate |
| Burnt ends | Crispy brisket cubes — a delicacy, not a mistake |
| Brisket | Smoked beef chest — sliced or shredded |
| Pulled pork | Fork-shredded pork shoulder |
| Dirty rice | Rice with peppers/tomato |
| Blackened | Dark spice crust, seared — not burnt |
| The Club | Brisket + ham + pulled pork + bacon sandwich |
Cajun fries · mashed (lumpy, garlic) · dirty rice · baked beans (pork chunks) · coleslaw · fried okra · mac & cheese · sweet potato fries · sautéed vegetables
Arrive 10 early. Ask the kitchen manager: "What does expo own here — sauces, garnish, running food, or just the window?" Every house splits it differently. Then get their abbreviation sheet, or build one on a pad as tickets print.
Accuracy beats speed. A wrong plate re-fires; a slow plate just waits.
When in doubt: say "heard," repeat it back, ask. Nobody minds a question night one — everybody remembers a wrong plate.
Last hour, ask about window breakdown — don't wait to be told.
One goal: leave with the kitchen wanting you back on the window.